This invention relates generally to a cargo loading, unloading and storage apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for the loading and unloading of motorcycles or the like to and from the flat bed of a utility vehicle such as a pick-up truck or trailer and permitting the easy storage and movement of the motorcycle or the like secured to a dolly subassembly.
Motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles or trail motorcycles or pleasure A motorcycles, as well as other wheeled vehicles, are oftentime transported to and from places by loading them on and off the bed of a transporting vehicle such as a standard pick-up truck. The placement of motorcycles, other wheeled vehicles, or the like on the bed of a pick-up truck or trailer generally requires elevating the motorcycle, or other wheeled vehicle, from ground level to the level of the bed of the pick-up truck or trailer and such is normally accomplished by some type of ramp structure. The removal of the motorcycle, or other wheeled vehicle, or the like from the bed of the pick-up truck or trailer back to ground level normally requires the use of some type of ramp structure which often is the same ramp structure. In view of the inherent lateral instability of motorcycles, particularly two wheeled motorcycles, at least two people are required to safely push a normally heavy two wheeled motorcycle from ground level up the ramp structure onto the bed of the pick-up truck or trailer and remove the motorcycle along the ramp structure from the bed of the pick-up truck or trailer back to ground level to prevent the lateral tipping and falling of the two wheeled motorcycle.
The prior art abounds with apparatuses and ramp structures specifically designed for moving wheeled vehicles from ground level onto the bed of a pick-up struck or trailer and returning the wheeled vehicle from the bed of the pick-up truck to ground level. The following U.S. patents are exemplary of such prior art apparatuses or ramp structures: U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,671 (Pratt); U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,248 (Murrill); U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,307 (Scott); U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,249 (Heine); U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,461 (Lichtenberg); U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,577 (Jones); U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,816 (Christ); U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,232 (Dixon et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,672 (Egan et al.)
The Pratt patent discloses a loading and unloading apparatus which enables a craft mounted on a cradle to be moved to and from water along a ramp structure. The Murrill patent discloses an apparatus for loading and unloading a boat and corresponding trailer to the bed of a pick-up truck which includes a pair of ramps whose leading ends have mechanisms for temporarily attaching the ramps to the rear edge of the truck to preclude the ramps from becoming disengaged from the rear edge of the pick-up truck when the trailer and boat is moving along the ramps. The Scott patent discloses a motorcycle trailer apparatus which enables on-loading and off-loading of a motorcycle strapped to a dolly by one person with the aid of a detachable ramp. The Heine patent discloses a cargo loading and unloading system for use with a pick-up truck which includes a sled for retaining cargo items, a platform mounted on the bed of the pick-up truck for receiving the sled thereon, a ramp for receiving thereover the sled and for facilitating the movement of the sled up onto and down from the platform, and mechanism between the platform and the sled for controlling the movement of the sled between ground level and the elevated bed of the pick-up truck. The Lichtenberg patent discloses a dolly for supporting a motorcycle which is easily maneuverable within a confined space so as to locate the dolly and motorcycle in a desired out of the way location while it is being stored.
The Jones patent discloses a motorcycle loading and unloading device including inclined ramp members, a pair of bed rails, and a wheeled carriage for receiving a motorcycle with the ramp members being slidable relative to the bed rails to enable the ramp members to be stored adjacent to the bed rails when the carriage and motorcycle is in position on the bed rails. The Christ patent discloses an article loading apparatus including a wheeled cart for receiving a load such as a motorcycle and ramps for permitting the loaded cart to move between ground level and the bed of a truck. The Dixon et al. patent discloses a device for loading a small vehicle onto the bed of a pick-up truck which includes two rails mounted to the bed of the pick-up truck, a ramp pivotally attached to the rails, and an interchangeable vehicle carriage pivotally attached to the ramp, and a winch for lowering and raising the vehicle carriage. The Egan et al. patent discloses an apparatus for loading and unloading a motorcycle onto and off the bed of a conventional pick-up truck and which requires only a single operator.
The prior art apparatuses, including those discussed above, have not been readily accepted by motorcyclists in that they have presented numerous problems and disadvantages particularly when compared to the simple, relatively inexpensive, loading and unloading apparatus of the present invention, which double as an apparatus for storing and easily moving a motorcycle or the like in a confined space such as a conventional garage. The prior art apparatuses have structures which are generally more complex than the structure of the present invention and present safety problems and may require more than one person to load and unload a two wheeled motorcycle. There is, therefore, a need for a simple, rugged, durable, and inexpensive apparatus for loading and unloading motorcycles or the like to and from the bed of a pick-up truck which overcome the problems and disadvantages of the prior art apparatuses. The apparatus of the present invention fulfills these needs.
The present invention is a loading, unloading and storage apparatus for loading, unloading and storing articles, particularly motorized vehicles such as motorcycles, other wheeled vehicles, and the like, and enables the easy loading and unloading of the articles onto and from a load carrying surface such as the bed of a utility vehicle or truck. When not in use for loading and/or unloading the motorized vehicle, the apparatus of the present invention allows a subassembly of the apparatus to support the motorized vehicle such that the subassembly can be easily maneuvered within a confined area such as a garage for storage purposes.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended to be used with conventional pick-up trucks, particularly of the short bed variety, but it may be used with long bed trucks or in any environment wherein articles are moved between several elevations. The apparatus of the present invention generally comprises a guide rail subassembly secured to the bed of a pick-up truck and including two parallel side rails, a main ramp subassembly including a pair of parallel rails, each of which is detachably secured to one end of a side rail of a guide rail subassembly, a dolly subassembly which is adapted to support the motorized vehicle and ride on the rails of the main ramp subassembly and the guide rail subassembly, an approach ramp subassembly which is detachably secured to the dolly subassembly, and a plurality of tie down straps for securing the motorized vehicle to the dolly subassembly and to the guide rail subassembly. The dolly subassembly has a winch and battery mounted on its forward end. The battery powers the winch which has a drum secured thereto which has a cable wrapped therearound. The free end of the cable has a hook secured thereon which is adapted for securement to an eyebolt mounted on the forward end of the guide rail subassembly.
The apparatus of the present invention provides significant advantages over prior art apparatuses in that it enables one person to easily load and unload an article such as a motorcycle onto the dolly subassembly and to load and unload the dolly subassembly and the motorized vehicle secured thereto onto and from the bed of a pick-up truck without having to obtain the assistance of others. Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention provides a controlled loading and unloading operation for enhanced safety to the user. The apparatus of the present invention can be easily adapted by means of minor modifications for use with different shaped motorized vehicles such as four wheeled vehicles including golf carts, all terrain vehicles, and riding lawn mowers. Still furthermore, the dolly subassembly of the apparatus of the present invention also functions as a mobile base for the motorized vehicle for easy movement of the dolly subassembly and the motorized vehicle throughout a garage or other storage area.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple, durable, apparatus which permits one person to safely move cargo between several elevations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple, durable, apparatus, which can be easily assembled and disassembled, to enable one person to move cargo such as wheeled vehicles, between ground level and an elevated bed of a utility truck under controlled conditions.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple, inexpensive, durable, apparatus, which can be readily assembled and disassembled by one person for efficiently moving a wheeled vehicle such as a two wheeled motorcycle, between ground level and the elevated bed of a utility vehicle under controlled conditions.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple, inexpensive, durable apparatus, which can be readily assembled and disassembled, by one person for efficiently moving a two wheeled motorcycle under controlled conditions between ground level and the elevated bed of a pick-up truck, and which also has a dolly subassembly which supports the two wheeled motorcycle such that the dolly subassembly and the motorcycle can be easily maneuvered within a confined area for storage purposes.